


Alternatively: Holograms

by smol_bird



Series: Lightbulb [2]
Category: Deadpool - All Media Types, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Fluff, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Romance, Superfamily (Marvel), Texting, can i be a part of peter's family please, i couldn't think of a title for this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 22:07:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15591759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smol_bird/pseuds/smol_bird
Summary: Five times Peter's parents came up in a conversation, and one time he got to introduce them to Wade.---Part two ofLightbulb, picks up right where it ended.





	Alternatively: Holograms

**Author's Note:**

> credit to [paperwishes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperwishes) for the new title :D

03/05, 19:43

_Hi Wade!! :D_

**Hey Pete. You got home alright?**

_Yes I have. I told you, I literally live in the middle of Manhattan, it’s not too long a walk. Anyways, I’m just texting you to say that idk this was probably the best day of my LIFE, so like thank you!! But also father was so Concerned when I showed up and was like “hello yes I got hit by a bike today but everything is Perfect”_

**I really cannot blame him for being concerned, I’d be concerned. I am concerned.**

**Do whatever the doctor told you to do please, bandages, ointments, whatever, I’m no medical professional.**

_Yeah, yeah, father won’t let me get away without it anyways so stop being a mother hen. I’m telling you I’m fine! Better than fine. Good. Great._

_But also, I mean, you aren’t, like, mad at me, right?_

**Um. What part of me taking you out for coffee like two hours ago so much as suggests “mad” anyways?**

_Idk, just checking. Because like. Today was a weird day._

_I mean, it was amazing and I absolutely love the fact that I got to meet you and I am Still screaming but idk if I made you uncomfortable or something because whenever I get enthusiastic I get TOO enthusiastic you know and I’m just hoping I didn’t like annoy you too much?? If that makes sense??_

_And also we did have an argument in the morning about you NOT wanting to meet me so you know that’s a thing that happened too_

_So yeahhh_

**Oh my god, Peter.**

**Of course you didn’t annoy me, and anyways, weren’t you the one to give me that entire lecture about “being annoying” before? Also, you are not annoying or too enthusiastic anyhow, because literally have you seen me?**

**Also I didn’t not want to meet you, I thought we’ve established that! I was just. You know.**

**I’m really glad we did meet, actually, even though it would’ve been better if I didn’t hIT YOU WITH A BIKE YOU KNOW**

**Al is just scowling suspiciously at me because I have been like pacing around the room giggling to myself (which she can’t see but can sure as hell hear), but I don’t even Care because like. Today was great.**

_Okay good. Great. Agreed, by the way, today was awesome. Also I think we can just settle on the fact that we were both A Tad overenthusiastic lmao because like. We Were._

**It was justified ;)**

_Oh hell yes it was._

_Anyways, dad is here now, he’s just giving me that Stare which is like “Peter What” and I suspect it’s because father told him that I got hit by a bike but I am also sitting here with the biggest grin on my face while texting and I swear he is about to question me so I may need to go now_

_But before I do_

_Wanna meet up again at some point??? I’m free on the weekends (or any other day after school I mean, but I may have homework or something else on so weekends are better), so if you’re up for it?? Maybe??_

**I think you know my answer, Pete.**

**Yeah. Absolutely :)**

***  
04/02, 15:33

_Wade I am literally SO sorry but I don’t think we can meet up on Wednesday_

_Dad has a business trip to France and he decided to take father and me with him because I haven’t actually been there (or to Europe much at all), but because it’s dad, he only told us tWO DAYS BEFORE THE DAMN THING_

_So we’re going to Paris for like five days._

_“Don’t worry Peter, your school doesn’t mind” YOU’RE JUST INTIMIDATING THEM DAD_

_Anyways, so yeah, I’m really sorry._

**Oh, it’s no problem! Have fun in France, send me cheesy pictures with the Eifel Tower.**

**Honestly though, your dad is the best. It’s the kind of father I aspire to be. Just intimidate my child’s school into letting him skip five days of lessons in the middle of the term.**

_Don’t let it fool you my dad is not actually scary_

_He tries really hard and people who don’t know him are in fact Fooled™, but if you actually get to know him you realize that he Is the furthest thing from intimidating._

_He laughs at the Worst puns and wears sweatpants around the house, like, if his business partners saw him they would have a stroke._

_He’s also really short, like, he’s shorter than me, so I’m not sure how it even works_

**He’s shorter than you?? But you’re like tiny.**

_Okay, first of all I’M NOT TINY WADE, and secondly maybe not actually shorter, but we’re the same height. Which is entirely unfair because for some reason people don’t find ME intimidating at all._

**That might be because you are a literal human version of a beagle puppy. I don’t think you can go one minute without breaking into a grin. You can’t even sit still for that long. That doesn’t constitute for a particularly scary persona.**

_Lies and slander and more lies._

_I can be intimidating._

**Suuure, Pete. Whatever makes you happy.**

_Okay that’s it, I’m breaking up with you, you traitor >:p_

**Uh**

**Wouldn’t we need to like**

**establish that we’re dating in order for that to work?**

**Or something?**

_Oh um I mean_

_Are we not?_

_Okay fair enough I guess just sorta assumed which is not the best thing to do, but like also we Went On Dates so??_

_But if you don’t want to it’s fine, I’m not gonna be offended or anything, again, I make assumptions which is sort of my own fault anyways so yeah_

_Wade?_

**Peter, Jesus Christ.**

_????_

**When did I ever do anything that could even slightly hint at me Not wanting to date you?**

**I just thought, I don’t know, we’ve only seen each other first like a month ago, and I didn’t really want to rush it, like.**

**You know.**

**But of course I want to.**

_Oh._

_Oh, okay._

_Good._

**Good.**

**So, will you officially be my boyfriend? ;)**

_Hell yeah!_

**Great.**

_Great._

**Great :D**

_Okay but now that we’ve established that, you’re a traitor and I’m breaking up with you._

**Goddammit Peter we were having a moment here >.>**

***  
04/06, 13:08

_Okay whoops_

**???**

_Accidentally told father we’re dating I’m_

_I mean it’s not like he’s mad or anything he is just giving me this Look which is like “first of all What second of all Why didn’t you tell me earlier and third of all Details”_

_He has an outstanding ability to communicate without actually saying a word_

**Okay, good that he isn’t mad, but also I gotta ask, “accidentally?”**

**Only you, Pete.**

_Listen shh it’s not my fault_

_We were on a tour today (dad is busy having meetings and shit, so it’s just father and I), took some pictures (Paris is gorgeous and I didn’t bring a pro camera with me for nothing), ate some food, and then, because we’re tourists, decided to buy some souvenirs for everyone we know_

_(It’s sort of an inside jokes between my parents tbh, father loves this stuff and always gets it from any trip, so all of their mutual friends have a ton of like magnets and snow globes and cheesy t-shirts from different countries, but dad finds it a Complete Waste Of Everyone’s Life And Shelf Space so he’s always complaining, and father keeps putting souvenir statues on his workshop benches to rile him up BUT I DIGRESS)_

_So anyways we were getting souvenirs, like a ton of them because my parents have a lot of friends I guess, so I decided (smartly >.>) that hey, might as well get Wade something, what can go wrong? _

_And then we were checking out, and dad is looking through the stuff we bought and is like “Oh wait I thought we were only getting one knife?” (it’s like a really cool pocket knife with an Eifel tower on it, and he was getting one for this person who is notorious for. having way too many knives tbh I’m scared of her)_

_And I am looking at the post cards_

_And because I am distracted_

_Very distracted_

_I tell my father_

_With a straight face_

_“Oh yeah one’s for my boyfriend”_

**OH MY GOD**

**LITERALLY ONLY YOU PETER**

**(Thank you for the knife though?? Assuming your father let you buy it???)**

_Oh he let me buy it. He just. Questioned._

**I feel like whenever you mention your father, he is questioning you lmao**

_That’s because that is literally everything he ever does. Questions dad’s life decisions, my life decisions, or his own life decisions and how the hell did he end up with us._

**I’m sure you’re wonderful people to end up with.**

**But it is fine, right?**

**Like, your father isn’t mad or anything?**

**How much did you tell him about me?**

_No, no, he’s not mad, mainly just curious. I mean, he’s a little protective, but I’ve reassured him you can be trusted and are probably not a serial killer. I’ve mentioned you to him before too, so he knows who you are. Like, your name and age, and that we met a few times, and that I’ve been texting you, and, fuck, now that I’m writing this, I’m thinking it’s sort of surprising he didn’t realize we were dating already._

**Aw, you talk about me a lot?**

_There’s only so many dates I can excuse with “Going to Ned’s”, considering that Ned just comes over to our place more often than not. So of course I had to mention you._

_Besides, we sort of text like 24/7_

_Which is also to say, father is half-glaring at me for being on my phone but also he has this little smirk so I have a feeling I will never hear the end of this and should probably put my phone down_

_Like when dad has something to tease me about he goes at it hard but forgets about it in like a day, but father, no matter how subtle, will Never Let It Go and I am scared of Death._

_“Okay, I realize you’re probably texting your ~boyfriend~ but we are going to the Louvre, Peter, try to show some appreciation for art” YEAH OKAY WHATEVER YOU CAN STOP NOW._

_So yes bye for now!!_

**Tell him I am so terribly sorry for distracting his son from the wonders of Parisian artistic masterpieces, and that I shall proceed to leave him in peace for a little while. Have fun at the Louvre! :)**

***  
04/23, 09:17

_Wanna meet up today??_

**I would love to but I can’t I’m working :/ Pizza waits for no man.**

**Why the spontaneity? You tend to plan things usually.**

_Sometimes, when I keep track of the dates lol. It’s my parents’ anniversary though and I forgot and no matter how big my house is it is For The Best that I don’t stay there today, so I’m going to Ned’s for like an emergency sleepover_

_It’s not even like their anniversary though? Like they didn’t get married today, didn’t even start dating, it’s just the day they Met, but they are the biggest saps ever, so._

_(Either that, or they want as many excuses as possible to get me out so they can have the house to themselves, but that is not a trail of thought I want to be following)_

**Lmao I can’t imagine why**

**That is sorta cute though. Hey, what date did we meet again? For information purposes ;)**

_Third of May? If you mean actually Met. You texted me first on twenty-second of November._

_I answered that way too quickly, I promise I’m not a creep lol._

_And I mean I guess it is sort of cute when you just hear about it, but when you gotta live with them, it gets annoying. (Not really though, the two of them are like My Proof Real Love Exists)_

_For the record, it’s been their official conclusion that we had a more fucked up first meeting than they did, and that is a title I wear with pride._

**Okay but do you realize you can’t just say that and expect me not to want to hear the story of Their meeting now?**

_Okay lmao story time!_

_I know it kind of well because I used to find it hilarious as a kid. (I still do tbh)_

_So it basically goes, my dad is kind of famous. Like, if you follow the news and stuff, you might maybe be able to recognize him, idk. The problem is, father Doesn’t follow the news. He sorta does now, of course, perks of being married to dad and knowing Pepper (who is like my dad’s boss-assistant-person, don’t ask, it’s complicated and she is terrifying and I love her, and she makes father have at least a basic understanding of what’s happening in the world), but he didn’t used to._

_So naturally, my dad came to expect being recognized, not unreasonably. He also works in this branch of industry which father’s friend came in contact with (it’s complicated, but it’s basically to do with prosthetic limbs and stuff, it’s fascinating). So one day father and his friend were in dad’s workplace, and friend was having like a medical check-up while father was waiting for him_

_And then dad was just walking around his workplace because he was bored or something, and he saw father and asked him what he was doing here, and they chatted amicably for a bit, and dad realized that father doesn’t recognize him and was like “omg”, so he decided to give him his phone number just for the purpose of messing with him_

_But then they met up a few more times and maybe kissed (or something, they don’t really go into detail, and again, I would rather Not Think), and dad was like “okay fuck I actually like him???”, and I assume father was like that too, because he decided it would be smart to introduce dad to his friends, who are obviously much more aware of the news and were like “DUDE WHAT THE FUCK”_

_And that’s the story_

**Okay what I got from that is that 1) your dad sounds like a Real Famous Person 2) we definitely get the cake for the weirder one but 3) …unconventional… ways of meeting future significant others run in your family. I love it.**

_I mean you are Not Wrong. I would tell you the story of Pepper and her girlfriend (which could be a movie plot because her gf was hired to be her assistant but she was also meant to spy for another organization but then she was like Fuck That), but I’m not sure how much of that is semi-classified and I will probably introduce you to them at some point, so I don’t want to give you wrong impressions before you meet them. (I mean, if you want to? Be introduced to them that is??)_

**Peter, your family/friends sound like the literal coolest bunch of people to ever walk the Earth, and I would Love to, but also, seriously, spies? When does that Happen in real life? I thought that’s like some movie bullshit!**

_Yeah me too and then I was told the story and was like w o a h_

_They aren’t really cool, but they sure sound like it lmao. (Okay, Pepper and her girlfriend actually are). Well anyways, I won’t distract you from the important task of pizza delivery any further, I’m getting on the bus now, but we have to talk about this later (me introducing you to my family that is). (Bc they’ve been asking about you too, although I suspect that’s mainly for shovel talk purposes and I am Not Looking Forward to that)_

**I’ll survive as many shovel talks as I need for you, don’t worry ;)**

**Have a good day!**

***  
05/10, 04:08

_Hey, are you alright?_

**Um. Are YOU alright? I mean, it’s four am, Peter, you went to sleep like three hours ago, why exactly are you awake??**

_Honestly? No idea. I just… woke up. It’s weird, but it happens to me sometimes. Might go bake cookies._

**Please do not, we really do not want a repetition of the last time you tried to make cookies in the middle of the night.**

_That was just the last time you heard of. I don’t usually tell you if I try cooking in the ungodly hours of the morning because usually it’s pretty successful._

_Also, Wade, I get it, you like deflecting questions, but by all means feel free to answer. Are you alright?_

**You are scaring me.**

**But to be fair whoever texts me in the middle of the night asking me if I’m alright is gonna scare me, so don’t take it personally.**

**We spoke three hours ago. What can possibly happen to me, Pete? An alien invasion? That’s not a thing that exists.**

**Though I meat it would be kind of awesome, don’t you think? If we lived in one of those superhero universes. They seem way more exciting than ours anyhow. Maybe we could even be superheroes! Hey, what power would you like?**

_I don’t know, flight sounds cool, but it’s very generic. Something more unique would be nice, like… honestly, I don’t know, ask me when I’m more awake and can think of things properly._

_And for the love of god, Wade, stop deflecting questions._

**In my defense, it usually works on people.**

_Well, I’m not “people”, I’m me, and I’m asking. Are you alright?_

**Jesus fucking Christ, Peter. You know what your superpower will be? Some sort of magical sixth sense which would tell you things you shouldn’t possibly be able to know. And it could be quite useful too, I mean, especially in combat, because let’s face it, if you are ever a superhero, you’re gonna be getting in all the fights for the good of this world.**

**I can practically hear you typing; I’m not deflecting your question now, I’m just going on a tangent.**

**I’m… basically alright? I mean, there’s nothing wrong per say. On the contrary, everything is pretty much as right as it gets now, I mean, fuck, I have you, how much better can it be?**

**(Don’t quote me on that tomorrow, please, I’m exhausted and emotional).**

**So yeah, I’m alright, I’m just.**

**Well, you know I don’t like sleeping much.**

_Nightmares?_

**Sort of.**

**You know, you’d look at me, you’d think I have much more nightmares about being trapped in a fucking housefire at thirteen, right? Impressionable young kid and all, should’ve fucked me up pretty bad. I mean, it did, evidently, shit, take one look at my face. Nightmares must logically follow.**

**Ding-ding-ding, you’re wrong.**

**Honestly, the fire was a fucking blessing, Pete.**

**You know how I don’t talk about my family much? Well, I’m sure you know, you’ve asked, and with your fucking level of attention to detail (which honestly scares me sometimes, but I mean it probably goes with your super-perception and all), you probably noticed.**

**You know why?**

**Because they were shitty fucking people, Pete.**

**I didn’t start that fire – god knows I wouldn’t be hurt if I did –, but honestly, if it didn’t happen around that time on its own, I probably would have.**

**Either that, or just ran away, but let’s face it, I have a flare for dramatic.**

**Get it? Flare?**

**Jesus Christ. I promise I’m actually sort of serious, but I have to be at least 20% not serious at all times otherwise I might just go totally mad. That is, if I’m not already, because let’s face it, I’m not exactly the shining example of normality.**

**Anyways.**

**That’s about as much as I’m willing to talk about this at any one time.**

**Seriously. Please.**

_Okay._

_I’m sorry for asking I just_

_I woke up and I thought about you and I don’t know_

**No, no, Pete, don’t apologize. Please don’t take me wrong here.**

**It helps. Talking to you. It’s just, there’s only so much talking I can do all at once, because otherwise… well, not the best memories and all that.**

**I’ll tell you more. Eventually. I promise I will.**

**I trust you with this, you know? I know I can trust you.**

**But maybe not tonight.**

_Okay._

_Of course._

_Thank you. I mean, I’m really, really happy that you trust me, Wade._

_For all that’s worth, I trust you too. I mean, there isn’t much to say about my life, but one day I’ll tell you about my aunt and uncle (like, biological, I guess), and all that stuff – it’s a long story I’d rather not revisit at four in the morning but I still want you to know – and, yeah. Thanks. Again._

**Well, don’t feel pressured to tell me things just because I’m blabbering on about shitty childhoods and all that, but if you do ever want to talk to me about anything, I’ll be honored.**

_Okay, cool._

**Cool.**

_Cool._

_And I mean, also, speaking about blabbering about things, I’m sorry I always go on about my parents and family so much, because I didn’t really ever think about it, but please tell me if it makes you, like, uncomfortable or anything, because I don’t want that, you know?_

**No!**

**No no no, Pete, I love listening to your stories. Your family sounds fucking wonderful, and I’m really happy for you, and it honestly makes me happy when you talk about them. You have so much to tell and it’s just really sweet because I can see they mean a lot to you and it’s amazing you have them and please don’t stop.**

**I really like you, Peter. And I’m glad to see you happy. And I want to hear about it, you know?**

_Yeah._

_Cool._

_I really like you too, Wade :)_

**:)**

**But really, go to sleep, it’s four.**

_Too bad I’m already pre-heating the oven._

**Oh my god–**

***  
05/18, 18:18

Wade, like just about every other pizza deliverer on this side of New York, loved getting orders from the Stark Tower. Either all of Stark Industries employees were extremely generous, or, what Wade himself deemed more likely, extremely generous was whoever wrote up the company rules; but whatever the reason, they’ve barely ever gotten less than a fifteen percent tip on delivery there. Which should be common courtesy everywhere else too, he was prepared to argue – but oh well. For now, at least, they had an occasional order or two from SI. 

It was early evening, around six, when it’s not yet dark outside but the sun is already creeping slowly towards the horizon, and this was Wade’s last order for the day, so he was looking forward to getting that over with as soon as possible. He parked in front of the Tower and got the three pizza boxes (two Pepperoni and one Hawaiian, he could only imagine what discourse it caused to whomever was ordering) from the trunk of his motorcycle. The bike was technically his own, but he used it for deliveries anyways – it looked way cooler.

Anyways, pizza. 

He looked over the driver’s instructions he was sent again, still no less confused about the obscure “Walk around the Stark Tower to a black metal door at the back, knock twice and say you’ve brought pizza, you’ll be let in” (this probably wasn’t a prank because the order was pre-payed in full, but seriously, why can’t they just order delivery to the front door like a normal person), then shrugged and followed the orders, looking for the specified entrance. The metal door was indeed there, rather inconspicuous in its dullness, and Wade knocked against the dark surface.

“Pizza delivery”, he announced to no one in particular, adjusting his helmet to hide his confusion. The door, all of a sudden, squeaked and slid open.

“Yeah, wait a moment!” a voice called out from the inside, a voice familiar in that manner that hearing a famous actor’s voice is familiar. Wade squinted in suspicion, opening the door wider and stepping into the hall. It was relatively small, neat and tidy, some coats hanging from above the shoe rack, and it was so out of place with the image of a world-famous company that he couldn’t help but look around curiously. Some paintings on walls, a mirror, a staircase… 

“Hello. Sorry for the wait.”

Wade jolted slightly, too distracted by looking at one of the pictures to notice a man walking up the stairs from what was probably the basement, and swung around to face him before halting for a moment, looking at him in some sort of startled interest. Well, this may explain the familiar voice.

Because this – this was definitely Tony Stark. 

Wade was starting to think he should be wearing something more presentable than a pair of jeans, an old T-Shirt and a motorcycle helmet.

But then again, the man had on a tank top which was way too big for him and a pair of stretched shorts, he was covered in dust and motor oil, his hair was a mess and he was holding a wrench in his hand; “presentable” clearly wasn’t the look either of them was going for. So Wade smiled politely, even though Stark probably couldn’t exactly see it through the plastic, and put the pizza boxes down on a stack of drawers nearby:

“Good afternoon, sir. No worries.”

“Yeah, thanks,” he nodded distractedly, waving the wrench in the air before reaching into his pocket and passing Wade a fifty dollar bill. “Have a good day.”

“Oh, um, the order’s been paid for already,” Wilson stammered, looking at the bill. Stark scoffed:

“I know, I paid for it. Consider that a tip.”

Well, okay. Wade wasn’t exactly going to complain about free money. Hey, Stark’s a billionaire, he can do with his earnings whatever the hell he wants. 

“Thank you, sir,” he grinned, hiding the bill in his pocket. “Have a good–“

“Hey dad?” someone yelled from slightly further down, and then a boy – the Stark-Rogers kid, Wade assumed – ran up the stairs into the hallway. “Do you think – oh, pizza, cool, thanks – do you think we could – wait – shit – sorry–“

He trailed off. Wade blinked. Probably the Stark-Rogers kid, yes, he thought slowly, because who else would be calling Tony Stark “dad”–

But also–

That was Peter. That was Peter standing there in a Wonder Woman T-Shirt and a pair of gray sweatpants, hair just as messy as Stark’s. That was Peter who looked at him wide-eyed and suddenly blushing, who rocked on his feet and ran his hand through his hair. 

“Oh man,” the kid muttered. 

“Is everything alright?” Stark raised one eyebrow. Peter threw Wade a panicked gaze, a sort of “help-me-what-do-I-say” one, and Wilson would help, really, were he not too busy reevaluating his entire life. 

Except, well, okay, this made more sense that he would care to admit. 

Sure, most people wouldn’t call Tony motherfucking Stark “ _kind of_ famous”, or whatever was the turn of phrase that Peter used to describe his dad – it would only be a slight exaggeration to say that the man was on more magazine covers than Wade had dollars in his bank account – but he… fit everything else pretty well. A technological genius, a businessman, married to a man, has a kid… yeah. Honestly, if Wilson looked it up, he would’ve probably found out way earlier. (Except, of course he wasn’t gonna look it up, he respects people’s privacy). 

So. Well.

“Holy shit,” he commented. Then, because he wasn’t about to make a bad impression on his boyfriend’s dad: “Sorry.”

“You two know each other or what?” Stark asked, probably tired of watching them stare in silence, and Peter exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. 

“Might as well do this. I mean, it’s not like we weren’t gonna. If you don’t have any more… job?”

It took Wade a second to realize Peter was speaking to him. 

“I do not have any more job,” he chuckled quietly, allowing his shoulders to relax and leaning slightly against the doorway. “Very eloquent, by the way.”

“Shut up!” Peter blushed, rolling his eyes in exasperation. “This is just… so not according to plan. Like, I was gonna tell you!”

“I sure hope you were,” Wade laughed weakly. “No, it’s fine, Pete, don’t worry. I mean, there is a level of reevaluation I need to do in regards to every conversation we have ever had up to now, but that’s… not the worst? I mean…” He trailed off, then shook his head, meeting the older Stark’s suspicious gaze. “Anyways, wanna introduce us, Peter? Because otherwise I just feel like I’m intruding here. Not that I don’t know who you are, sir, but formalities and all that.”

“Yeah, right,” Peter nodded hastily, jogging up to them from the staircase where he was standing and gripping the railing with one hand up to now. “Um, so, this is my dad, his name is Tony Stark, he is really cool.”

“And kind of famous,” Wade added with a grin. The boy rolled his eyes:

“Yeah, maybe a little. And dad, this is Wade Wilson, he’s… my boyfriend. Well, I told you about him, so.”

“Ah,” Tony nodded after a moment’s silence, looking Wade up and down before offering his hand for a handshake. Wade accepted it. “He did in fact tell me, yes. Multiple times. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wilson. Come in.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to intrude, I–“

“Nonsense,” Stark waved him off distractedly. “Jarvis, call Steve over, something tells me he would be quite mad if we don’t invite him to come down. Peter can introduce us better meanwhile.”

( _Who the hell’s Jarvis?_ Wade thought quickly. The thought, however, was fleeting).

“Dad!” the boy groaned, shuffling closer to Wade and looking at him apologetically. “I am so sorry. See, this is why I wanted to do it on our terms! Because now they won’t leave you alone!”

“Of course we won’t leave him alone, he’s dating our precious son,” Tony smirked, leaning against the staircase railing. “Come on. You can show him the lab, Steve and I can interrogate him, it’s a win-win, really. You did say you don’t have any more work to do tonight, Mr. Wilson.”

“That I did,” Wade sighed, admitting defeat and pulling off his helmet only with a moment of hesitation before smiling at Peter reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Pete, it was bound to happen. They have all the rights to question me.”

The elder Stark, Wilson noticed, barely showed any indication of caring about Wade’s scars, just looked him over impartially again and blinked, almost as if confirming something to himself. Peter rolled his eyes:

“Don’t tell them that, they won’t ever leave you alone.”

“They can hear you,” a new voice announced from the flight of stairs above them, deep and amused. “Pleasure to finally meet you, Wade, after all we’ve heard.”

“Pete talks of me a lot?” he couldn’t help but smirk in response. Peter groaned again, a bright blush on his cheek, and nudged him in the ribs, hard.

“This entire household just wants to see me spontaneously combust,” he muttered, crossing his arms, before shooting a quick gaze towards Wade: “Sorry.”

“Fire jokes are high up there in my humor arsenal, so it’s fine,” he shrugged ironically, putting his helmet down on the drawers next to the pizza boxes and taking off his shoes quickly. “So… what now?”

Stark (Tony, that is, because even if technically both he and Steve went by Stark-Rogers after their marriage, the entire press and intellectual community of New York City just sort of stuck to referring to them by their original last names) grinned and waved at something Wade couldn’t see downstairs. 

“We’ll give you a tour, I suppose. Peter, get the pizza.” 

The boy sighed exaggeratedly and picked up the boxes, skipping down the stairs quickly, and Rogers followed; Stark though stopped Wade in his tracks, leaning over the rails and waiting for the first two to get out of the earshot. 

“Listen,” he said, hands in his pockets, as threatening as he was nonchalant. He was shorter than Wilson and yet still seemed to look down, eyes narrow, lips spread in a polite smile. Wade held his gaze, eyebrows slightly quirked. “I don’t know you well, but I hope to get to know you better. You seem a good kid. Peter thinks a lot of you. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. But if you hurt him, Mr. Wilson, make no mistake, I will ruin your life. I can.”

“With all due respect, sir,” Wade said, unblinking, smiling back and trying his hardest to come off as calm as he could, “your son is the only good thing in my life anyhow. If I hurt him, I’ll have ruined it myself.”

He knew then, in saying it, that it was the right thing to say: Stark’s smile twitched a little wider, a little more sincere, and he hummer assent before making his way down the stairs:

“Well then. Let’s catch up.”

It was the right thing to say, sure; but it was also the truth, so, hey. 

Wade followed.

***

He, unsurprisingly, has never been inside Stark Tower before, so he only had a vague idea about how it operates on the inside, with one-hundred-and-how-many-more floors and confusing corridor plans. But then again, they weren’t going to the main part of the Tower now: after a few more minutes of complaining and trying to get his parents to stop smirking vaguely at each other, Peter gave up and clung onto Wade’s arm, dragging him towards what the three of them referred to as “the workshop” among themselves. And sure, Wade was expecting to see a workshop. He’s seen workshops before. Except, it turned out, normal people’s definition of a workshop doesn’t exactly align with that of Tony Stark. 

There were fucking holograms floating in midair. 

Wade stared at them, wide-eyed, before allowing his gaze to slip towards the blueprints which covered the walls, the unfinished phone models scattered along with tools on the workbenches, the robots – there were actual moving robots here, two of them, what the hell –, and the chemicals which probably weren’t meant to stand carelessly balanced on top of a stack of books (but he wasn’t an expert). Stark smirked quickly at the no doubt obvious fascination in his eyes:

“A nice little place, hey? Listen, most of these aren’t classified, but for the record, I have enough lawyers to put you behind bars for years if you dare to take anything.”

“Dad!” Peter hissed again, arms crossed. “Stop it!”

“Tony,” Rogers sighed at the same time, his voice combining in itself fondness and exasperation in a manner which, Wade thought, could only be achieved by living with a Stark for a couple of years.

“No, it’s a reasonable warning, everything here would probably cost millions,” he shrugged, maybe a little nervous, but mostly just still entranced by the low light of the holograms around him. “Don’t worry, Mr. Stark, those aren’t my intentions at all.”

“Good. Call me Tony,” Stark grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. “And now shoo, the two of you. Peter, show off some of your work or something. Steve and I have to talk.”

Peter rolled his eyes and grabbed Wade’s arm immediately, pulling him deeper inside the workshop, manoeuvring between the tables and benches easily. When they got out of the earshot of the adults, he stopped and leaned against some metal construction (which didn’t seem stable enough to be leaned on, but what did Wilson know). 

“Okay,” he sighed, tapping his fingers anxiously against the metal and trying to evade Wade’s gaze. “Now that we can actually, uh, have a proper conversation. Listen, I am so fucking sorry. This is not how… any of this was meant to go.” Wade opened his mouth to interrupt but Peter didn’t let him speak, rocking on his feet nervously as he rambled. “I really was gonna tell you, and, and ask you if you’re okay with the whole... Stark-Rogers thing – oh, and tell _them_ to not be... you know, the way they are, which is to say, annoying, and – and yeah, I’d invite you over, and you’d _know_ , and I–“

“Peter!” Wade interrupted finally, trying to keep his voice firm. “You’re freaking out. Don’t freak out.”

“Of course I’m freaking out!” the boy exclaimed. “Wade, I had a _plan_ –“ 

“Yeah, I heard that,” Wilson chuckled, catching one of Peter’s wildly gesturing hands and squeezing it lightly. “Pete, it’s fine. I’m not... mad, or whatever you think I would be. Overwhelmed? Sure, a little. Maybe a lot. But first of all, I did sort of expect your parents to be famous – not to this extend, but you mentioned it before, remember? –, and secondly, as people who care for your general well-being, I’m pretty sure they have all the rights to interrogate me. They just have more practice in being threatening than most parents out there.”

“You don’t say,” Peter laughed quietly, his grip on Wade’s hand relaxing a little. “Well. Okay. Sorry anyways, but... okay. So. My name is Peter Stark-Rogers, I live in this Tower, and it’s good to meet you.” He grinned widely, and Wilson couldn’t help but smile back at the way he almost radiated warmth and elevated excitement. 

“Wade Wilson, and I stay over in a shitty small apartment in Queens, but you already knew that,” he bowed jokingly. “Now, Mr. Stark-Rogers, how about you do show me around, after all?”

Peter laughed and dragged him along again.

**Author's Note:**

> [My tumblr](https://small-birdie.tumblr.com/), if anyone wants to visit ^^


End file.
